


Academy, The

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: 2nd Age - Pre-Rings, Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2005-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 12:45:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3769079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

“Who is that?”

“Shhh… she’s new, could you try to be nice?”

“She dresses like she grew up in an alley. Why should I be nice to a commoner? How did she even get here?”

“She’s here because she’s a soon-to-be-certified genius. She has to have some form of formal education to be certified, therefore…”

“That’s ridiculous. She’s not of our class. She isn’t worth wasting credentials on.”

“The teachers disagree.”

* * *

Most students at the Academy snored through roll call. Heads turned, however, when the name “Mirluin” was called – without a surname. The Academy only admitted students of noble birth, with genealogical records and famous crests to prove it. No one lacked a surname.

“Present and hopefully accounted for,” she answered quietly. Each suddenly alert student evaluated her carefully, except for a few rowdy boys in the back who were more interested in tracking the movements of the fly currently invading the room than in the new girl.

“Call me Miri, please,” she continued. “My own mother can’t say my name right, so I won’t make you try.”

The teacher cleared his throat uncertainly. “That’s fine, then.”

By now even the boys in the back had caught on, craning their necks in hopes of a decent view. She had waist-length bright red hair with green streaks and small braids scattered throughout. She was small, and too angular and skinny to be considered beautiful. Her green-brown eyes were intelligent and amused, as though the world were her private joke. It was unsettling.

Class continued without incident.

* * *

By lunchtime, Legolas had heard every variation of every rumor about the new girl. He was mildly surprised that so many people weren’t offended that she was of a lower class than they. He glanced at Cerci’s table, sighing in sarcastic relief. She was already pointedly snubbing the new girl. Legolas knew that by the end of classes the whole school would follow suit. Deciding to stir things up a bit, he ordered the roast duck and motioned his friends away from their usual table. He sat by Miri.

She was faintly shocked when someone deigned to sit at her table. Someone male, no less. She finished chewing her bite of salad, then said, “So are you motivated by pity, or do you have the unfortunate misconception that I’m easy?”

He nearly choked. “I didn’t take you for such a cynic,” he managed, after he swallowed.

She grinned sideways. “Actually, I just wanted to see your face. You don’t look like the type of person who’d use a girl. But you never know.”

“Quite the flatterer, aren’t you?”

She faked a simper. “I do work so hard at it, milord, it’s so wonderful to know I’ve actually achieved something in the field.” She made a face. “I’m being sarcastic.”

“Oh,” he said, relieved.

“You have no idea how many females try that on him,” Silver, one of his friends, interjected.

“I don’t know which is scarier, them or you,” Legolas added thoughtfully.

“Oh, them, definitely,” Miri said.

“How so?”

“They actually mean it.” He laughed. She continued, “I only wonder why they bother. I mean, you’re good looking, but that’s pretty shallow, even for girls.”

Silver smirked. “You never did introduce yourself,” he said to Legolas.

“What a brute you are,” Miri said ironically. “Most men I meet just toss out a half-baked pickup line and try to get a feeler.”

“Poor baby,” Akiniel murmured.

“Do you even care what my name is?” he challenged.

“Not as much as I care about mine,” she grinned. “What is it?”

He introduced himself. “Oh, my,” she giggled helplessly, “You are causing a stir, being here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and if you look over there where Cerci is sitting, you’ll notice it’s working splendidly,” he said, pointing.

They turned: indeed, the most beautiful girl in school gave new meaning to the phrase “if looks could kill.”

“May I stir the pot of resentment yet again?” Miri said, a look that the three boys would eventually recognize as her “I’m going to get us into such deep trouble we will narrowly escape expulsion” look on her face.

Akiniel said, “Go for it.”

“Say the worst honest thing you can think of about me.”

Silver took up the challenge eagerly, uttering several choice insults (some were exaggerated considerably; he seemed not to have heard the “honest” part) but Miri found no difficulty in getting offended – dramatically. She soon left the table in a huff and sat down in the only empty chair left at Cerci’s elite board, promptly beginning to cry heartrendingly.

______________________________________________________

This was just not Cerci’s day. Not only had she failed – failed! – her history exam, but she couldn’t find her favorite skirt and had to go with a second-rate choice, she hadn’t had time to catch up on the gossip, and this new girl who would doubtlessly taint them all with her reputedly wild habits had the audacity to sit at her table.

And she couldn’t make her go away, because she was obviously in distress. She had to tough it out.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, sounding for all the world as though nothing could matter more than this blotchy-faced undersized elleth.

“I’m okay,” she hiccupped, trying to stop unsuccessfully. She looked up. My, she does need some lessons on how to cry prettily. “It’s just – never mind.”

“Really, what? Did those boys over there say something?” She was curious now – Legolas wouldn’t be responsible for this; there wasn’t a woman alive who could get offended towards him. Silver, maybe? He had a tart tongue. Akiniel was too reserved to say much – definitely Silver.

She sniffed. “Yes.” One of Cerci’s friends handed the girl a handkerchief, and she accepted it quietly. “What’s your name again?” she asked.

“Miri.” She seemed to be calmer now, and Cerci pressed a bit harder: “Now, you must tell us; why are you crying?”

Wiping her eyes, she said, “Silver just wasn’t that kind.”

“What did he say?”

“I wouldn’t want to repeat it,” she said softly.

“That bad?” Miri nodded. “Poor baby,” Cerci said. The girl who had lent Miri her handkerchief embraced her. “Why don’t you come with us,” she said, deciding to be nice for now. It wouldn’t do to ruin Miri’s day more. Miri allowed herself to be steered towards the door, hovering for one second towards the back of the group. Just before she left, she turned and winked.

Akiniel, Legolas and Silver smiled. This would indeed be interesting.

______________________________________________________

Akiniel was in Miri’s drama class, the last one of the day. “How do you like Cerci?” he murmured, watching the teacher for any signs of interesting news.

“She was faking being nice, and I think towards the end she was suspicious of me. But my goodness, she is a paradox. Is she trying to be nice and I just rub her wrong, or does she see me as a threat?”

“Both,” Akiniel answered. The teacher began to pass out scripts: this was the oldest group of students, and they put on a play every three months because their seniority made it possible. Only Miri had never done this before. The teacher seemed to have noticed this as well, and said, once she had finished passing out scripts, “Because this play demands such a large cast, this will be a collaboration with the other two senior drama classes. Now, Miri, I understand you have never acted before-”

“Not professionally, no, but I have reason to believe I can hold my own among the experts that surround me,” she interrupted, with a tone that was respectful enough to escape the teacher’s radar but subversive enough to get a warning look from Akiniel.

The teacher nodded, watching her. “I understand that. I cannot keep you from auditioning, but I would strongly advise that you not participate the first time so that you may learn by example.”

“I’ll consider it,” Miri said indifferently. Even the teacher understood: she would not.

Akiniel whispered, “Better not try for the lead. If you get it you’ll make every female here your enemy. Except a few.”

“I want to meet those few. And then I’m trying for whatever part I want.”  
He sighed, exasperated. “You’re going to be kicked out of here before the semester’s up.”

“Then I’ll go out with a bang, won’t I?” she asked sweetly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?

“They’ll ruin her reputation.”

“What reputation? She threw that in the trash when she came here.”

“Point. But-”

“But what? They’ll treat her like an elleth.”

“You’re already acting like she’s your sister that you have to take care of.”

“So what? She needs a brother.”

“She has twelve. She doesn’t need you.”

“Her brothers aren’t here. I am.”

“Do what you like, Akiniel. I only wonder whether she’ll thank you.”

______________________________________________________

Kelna was faintly curious about the new girl. Still, Akiniel was pressuring her just a tad too much to look after her. “I typically don’t go out of my way to befriend people who cry publicly,” she reprimanded him.

“Kay, she was fooling. She was curious about Cerci. She doesn’t do that regularly-”

“Oh, of a sudden you know her inside out?” she raised her eyebrow.

“Better than you-”

“She’s been here a day, Akiniel.”

He sighed, frustrated. “What will it take to convince you?”

Her mouth curved upward into the shape of an archer’s bow. “I’ll watch her,” Kelna promised. “I’ll see if I’m interested. And if I am, I’ll talk to her. And if I’m not-” she shrugged “-I won’t.”

“I’m also trying Sarashe,” he said, making for the door.

“Do what you like,” she said, unconcerned.

Sarashe was more willing to comply than Kelna was – she was less stubborn and more excitable than her best friend and cohort. “I’ll talk to her.”

______________________________________________________

Miri walked alone. She saw the other students, paired off, always talking to someone. No one was a reject, because everyone was the same. Except her. She allowed the self-pitying thought for only a moment, and then tried (unsuccessfully) to stop. _Reject, reject, reject,_ her footsteps scolded. _Stupid for coming, reject._

Or so she thought. Apparently someone didn’t notice or didn’t care. Because someone ran to catch up with her. “Hi,” she said breathlessly. “Who are you trying out for in the play? Because I can’t decide, we can only try out for three, and I liked so many of the characters…”

Miri snorted. The girl was tall, with gorgeous black hair, and giddy to the point of being annoying. “I want to be Meaghan.”

The girl gasped. “But Meaghan is a whore!”

Miri turned. “What’s your name?”

“Sarashe.”

“Sarashe, I have met more whores than I can count. Judging by your reaction, no one else will dare try out for the part. So, I’m the obvious choice.”

“You realize what everyone will think…”

She nodded. “They’ll be wrong. I know the truth about myself, and my friends know the truth about me, and the rest can snit about me behind my back for the rest of their lives for all I care.”

Sarashe grinned. “I like you.”

“Well, to be honest, unless your first impression was a total act, I don’t like you at all.”

“My, you’re blunt.”

“Say rude, it’s what you mean. I take it you were acting.”

“Of course. But I really do need help choosing who I’ll audition for…”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?

Drama class was, in reality, the soul of the Academy. It determined your place on the social scale. The teachers, too, were hardly oblivious, playing favorites in hopes of pleasing the students’ rich parents and thus gaining donations, which equaled higher pay. The lead roles were reserved for a cycle of six to ten students, and anyone not within that group who achieved the role was the victim of a smear campaign so vicious that he or she would buckle under the pressure within days and resign. Few objected to this pattern, because those on top of the ladder didn’t want it to change, and those at the bottom were stamped out so quickly that they quickly gave up and conformed.

So when Miri tried out for the part of Meaghan, considered the third most important female in the entire play, she became the catalyst of a series of events that would eventually leave everyone upside down and breathless.

She was wrong: a few did have the guts to try out for the part of a whore. However, the teachers knew that casting someone’s precious baby in such a demeaning role would spark a protest. They were taking a risk as it was, performing this play at all. Miri, whose parents were relatively poor and powerless, was the easy way out. She, as the best choice, was Meaghan.

The students were outraged. That Miri had more lines than even Cerci was inexcusable.

Legolas knew all this. He had never really taken much interest in Cerci’s machinations.  
Once, she had tried to seduce him, but he had heard rumors of her past and opted out. He had made it clear that she was not to cross him, or he would run an exposé. She had spilled one too many beans and trusted him a tad too much initially, and Legolas had a reasonable amount of power over her. But he knew it wasn’t enough to stop Cerci’s inevitable attack on Miri. And he had no trump card.

He wasn’t sure why he cared so much. He had spoken to Miri twice since their original lunch conversation, and had again enjoyed her company. She was like his male friends, bold and – surprisingly, happily – intelligent. Perhaps best of all, she wasn’t coy. She didn’t play mind games or vamp up the charm; she acted like herself.

He had tried out for three parts – and was assigned to be Brett, the second most important male (next to Jack, played by Akiniel). Brett just so happened to be the man using Meaghan’s services in the play – so Legolas was playing opposite Miri. He wasn’t sure whether this was a good thing or not; it would all depend on what the rumors were.

It occurred to him that that was an extremely self-centered thought.

 

 

Sarashe and Kelna were often eager participants in the rumor mill. Knowing this, Cerci usually saw to it that they were among the first to hear news, in hopes that it would circulate quickly. Not knowing that they had become fast friends to Miri, she had a friend named Oravia approach them with the obligatory snippets of cruelty aimed at intimidating Miri out of her role.

They laughed. When Oravia returned with this news, Cerci debated whether she should ruin their reputations too, but decided that it would be too conspicuous. She ignored them and let the talk continue. Slower, maybe, but effective nonetheless.

The only thing that jibed was that Legolas seemed to be on Miri’s side. He was oblivious to the fact that he was the most respected male in school, and the most influential. He was a wild card. And he was leaning in the wrong direction.

She decided she would have a chat with him.

 

 

On the days with no classes, Legolas made it his habit to ride his gelding in the morning after breakfast. It cost extra to board the horse, but his father hadn’t flinched. His name was Hith, which meant mist, referring to the grey color of his coat. He was Legolas’s best listener.

Cerci also boarded a gelding, which she had never bothered to name. That day, when Legolas left, she waited until he was out of earshot before she mounted her horse and followed him.

After a good half-hour ride, mostly at a trot, he stopped by a stream to rest for a bit and let his horse take a drink. This was where Cerci caught up with him. He didn’t seem all that surprised to see her.

After several moments though, he wouldn’t talk, so Cerci decided to cut to the chase. “Miri is out of line.”

“So I heard.”

She walked up to him and stared at him in the face. “Why are you on her side? Why are you so determined to help her disturb the order of things?” she demanded. “She is nothing. When you leave here, she can’t be your friend, you know what people would think. You know what people are saying _now_ , Legolas. Do you want that to haunt you all your life?”

He thought for a long moment, staring out into the trees on the other side of the stream. “But what if the system’s screwed up? What if the order of things, as you put it, shouldn’t be that way?”

“It’s worked until now-”

“But now it’s changed.” He turned and looked at her. “It’s changed, and you don’t want it to, and you’re trying to fight her, but you can’t.”

Her eyes flashed. “Watch me.”

He laughed, then sighed. “You are used to controlling everything,” he said. “You are strong willed and you know how to play on people’s fears and desires. But she is new to you, Cerci, and you cannot guess what will break her, because she is not a noblewoman, she is common, and she does not fear what everyone else here fears. She is strong in ways that others are not, and you don’t know where she is weak.”

“What are you saying?”

He shrugged. “I’m saying you can’t beat her. She won’t give in.”

“We’ll see,” she said, suddenly indifferent. He knew that meant she was trying very hard not to show that he had unsettled her. _Good,_ he thought. _Chew on that for awhile._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?

A Month Later

Miri was quite sure that dying and going to hell would be a relief.

Sarashe, Kelna, Legolas, Silver and Akiniel were the only ones who didn’t hate her. The other hundred or so students had latched completely on the rumors that had come and gone like a flash fire, burning Miri to ash and scorching the few who stood beside her. But she was too stubborn to give in, not now, when she’d come so far already.

Miri had lost count of the times she had “accidentally” tripped onstage during practice. She couldn’t focus on the tests and was doing so poorly that the head of school had called her to his office twice to discuss why someone who had come on merit of intelligence was suddenly failing every class. She lived in fear of each new rumor.

The rumors had become progressively worse: At the start, they played on her status, (whoever they were,) convincing many that her commoner status made her unworthy of attending the Academy. Little hateful things, such as the fact that she didn’t have a hairdresser and sometimes came to class with hair that looked like hornets had slept in it, were blown out of proportion.

Her friends were wonderful, though. Legolas had taken her riding for the first time in her life – he wouldn’t let her canter, for fear she would fall off, but she enjoyed the lesson and he promised that he would continue to teach her. Sarashe would sometimes come to her room and brush her hair until it flowed like flaming water. Kelna, who had befriended several of the cooks, would sometimes bring the herb-and-nut rolls that Miri had fallen in love with at first taste.

Silver and Akiniel just wouldn’t let her mope, either making her laugh so hard she could barely breathe, or giving her outrageous dares that distracted her for hours. They were so different. Silver was flamboyant and hapless, a ridiculous combination that kept everyone on their toes. Akiniel’s brand of humor was subtle and wickedly sarcastic; he was also the one who came up with most of the dares.

Miri tried very hard to keep her mind of Legolas when she was with him. She understood now why all of the girls chattered about him in the bathrooms. He was unbearably perfect, unbearably handsome, and unbearably unaware of it. She scolded herself often and harshly when she dwelt on him.

But she knew it was useless trying. In play practice, they were nearly finished with the first act. In the second act, Meaghan and Brett became involved. She would kiss him onstage. Often. Her self control was already wearing thin; she was fairly sure she wouldn’t be able to hold it in long with him holding her. She dreaded and hoped for that day.

But it was mostly dread.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?

The stupid play is ruining everything,” Miri burst out. Sarashe looked up from her book, startled.

“What do you mean, everything?”

Miri began ticking the items off with her fingers. “I have five friends here-”

“Hello, how many do you think I have?” When Miri still looked upset, Sarashe added, “But that’s not what you’re really worried about, is it?”

Miri buried her face in her hands. “I have to kiss Legolas tomorrow,” she said, her voice muffled.

“And?” Sarashe laughed. “Most girls would kill for that golden opportunity.”

Miri shook her head. “We’ll be awkward, and then we won’t act normal around each other anymore and I’ll lose him.”

“He doesn’t strike me as the type that’s wierded out by kissing onstage. But if you act weird, that’ll affect things,” Sarashe said after a pause.

“OF course I’ll act weird, I’m acting off now.”

“You want to kiss him, don’t you?” Sarashe realized. Miri nodded miserably. “Oh, dear,” Sarashe said, rubbing her temples. “This is a challenge.”

“I know, it’s stupid, everyone likes him-”

“There's a reason everyone likes him, and there’s a reason he doesn’t like everyone. In case you hadn’t notice, he likes you rather well. It’s because you’re worth his time.”

“No I’m not, I’m just a stupid commoner,” Miri said bitterly.

“Yes, you are worth it, you’re just a stupid commoner,” Sarashe said ironically. “That’s why he enjoys your company.”

“He still doesn’t stay up nights wondering what it’s like to kiss me.”

“Miri,” Sarashe said patiently, “It’s no big secret, how to get men like Legolas to realize you’re worth loving. It’s called not flipping out when he kisses you. It’s called laughing at yourself when you screw up. It’s called relaxing. Take your time. Enjoy him.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“What if I’m not?”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Despite Sarashe’s comforting words the previous day, Miri couldn’t remember half her lines during drama, distracted as she was. Legolas, too, didn’t seem to be at his best. When the first kissing scene approached, the teacher pulled them both aside. “Listen, I can tell you two are nervous about having to do this, and that’s okay during rehearsal, but we’ve got two months left and you need to overcome this as quickly as possible. I’m not a therapist, I can’t help you. Just do what it takes to do the best acting job you can. You have five minutes, then we’re trying the scene.”

They looked at each other askance. “Sorry I’m being weird,” they finally said simultaneously. They laughed, surprised.

Legolas said, “Listen, five minutes isn’t enough to work this out. Let’s just do the scene, enjoy ourselves, and sort this out after.”

Miri nodded. “I don’t want this to screw us both up.”

“Neither do I,” he said, walking over to his starting point for the scene. She moved offstage and waited for her cue.

For some reason, her nerves were gone, and she was acting much better.

“You cheated on me,” Miri-as-Meaghan said.

Legolas-as-Brett’s eyes flicked over her dismissively. “One who is paid for her services should hardly demand fidelity.”

“You don’t mean that,” Meaghan pleaded.

Brett paused. “No, I don’t.”

She moved over to cup his cheek. “What are you so ashamed of? What’s wrong with falling in love with a prostitute?”

He gesticulated uselessly. “I don’t know,” he said desperately.

“Then why are you still holding me at arm’s length?” she demanded. “You won’t let me get close, you don’t tell me anything, but I can tell you want to and your hurting yourself and you’re hurting me-”

He took her chin more gently than he made it appear and kissed her.

Miri, shocked, even though he was right on cue, let his lips move. They were soft and slightly chapped. Thankfully, he didn’t force his tongue into her mouth – she wasn’t sure how that was supposed to work and she didn’t want to find out in front of everyone – and he stopped, smiled softly, let go of her chin.

“I’ll be a good boy now, I promise,” he said, eyes laughing. He turned and left her standing there, confused. She put her hand on her mouth, unsure that it had really happened. She turned slowly and walked offstage, euphoric, and was relieved when the bell finally rung.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas is a student at the Academy, an elite boarding school reserved for the nobility. However, a new law is passed that requires a scholarship student to attend each year. Miri, a short elfess with an attitude problem, is the "guinea pig" for the experiment. When she and Legolas meet, who knows what will happen next?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Legolas’s breath made the hair on the back of her neck prickle. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“I’ll show you. Come with me.”

“I’m busy.”

“I thought you wanted to learn to ride.”

She sighed. “I’m coming.”

Miri followed him to the stables. He put bridles on Hith and on one of the school’s horses, and helped her mount. He pulled himself onto his own horse and set off at a light trot.

Miri, still very new at this, was unsure of her balance, but soon she found the rhythm. They came to a field and he asked, “Would you like to go faster?”

“I’d like to try.”

Legolas nodded towards the open space. “You have room. That grass is so thick that even if you fall you won’t be hurt. I’ll ride beside you.”

Her belly turning backflips, she began to trot the mare, then, kicking its side, urged it into a canter. It was like flying for the first fifteen yards or so, but she felt herself slipping on her horse’s bare back and, clinging to the mare’s neck, managed to fall off without a shred of dignity. Legolas slowed his gelding and dismounted, laughing. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” she said breathlessly. “I could tell when I was about to fall, but I couldn’t fix it…”

“You’ll learn.” He was still grinning.

“What?”

He shook his head. “You looked funny when you fell off, that’s all.”

“I’m glad one of us is pleased,” she muttered, still embarrassed.

“Want me to fix that?” His grin had turned wicked.

“No… No!” she shrieked as he began to tickle her. “Stop it!” she giggled. She sat down and curled up into a fetal position, but he followed her and attacked her neck and her bare feet with his talented fingers, making her twitch. “Quit it!” She tried to tickle him, but he writhed out of her reach and again assaulted her from behind, reaching around to assail her stomach.

 

“I give up,” she said, collapsing onto him, trying to catch her breath.

He gently lifted her body and, sliding out from beneath her, lay her back down on the soft grass. “How did you get so good at that?” she panted.

He shrugged. “Not with practice, I assure you. No siblings to try it on. By the time I stopped being a snot and actually made friends-”

“You were a snot?” she asked disbelievingly.

“Yeah.” He began to pull up fistfuls of grass with his fingertips. “I was a royal pain in the butt. Full of it, that sort of thing, thought the world lived to serve me. Silver was kind of intrigued and decided to bring my head back out of the exosphere and grind it into the dirt where it belongs. You can guess how thorough he was. So I shaped up and now I can’t even recognize who I was then. I like myself better now. But the point I was trying to make was, by the time I actually made friends, they were too good at wrestling for me to have any chance of tickling them.”

Miri stretched out on the grass, completely relaxed. “Do you want to talk about the kissing thing now?”

“What, you want some practice?”

She swatted him. “You’re bad.”

“Because,” he continued, pretending not to have heard her, “even though I enjoyed it, I could tell that an audience wouldn’t have. When you kiss onstage you have to move with me and make it a visual experience, because they aren’t kissing, they’re watching the kiss, and they need to enjoy it too.”

“Oh,” Miri said in a small voice.

“So do you want to practice?”

She looked at him directly. “Do you consider this ‘practice’ purely working on the play?”

Legolas grinned cheekily. “Miri, as an adolescent male I find it impossible to wrap my head around the concept of a pure kiss.”

“You are bad.”

“Do you want to practice or not?” he insisted.

“Yes.”

"Then - well," he said, looking around, "Anyone can see us here. Do you want to cross the stream and go where we won't be seen?"

"Yes," she said, relieved. She'd been worried about the same thing.

He whistled for the two horses to return. They came, and he said, "The horses are going to want to jump the stream, and you aren't ready for that, so we'll just wade through. At this time of year, it's at most a foot deep, so you won't get that wet."

"Why can't the horses just walk through the stream, if that's the case?" she asked.

"Horses have no depth perception, so they can't tell how deep it is. For all they know, they'll drown. They typically won't want to risk it. So just stand in the middle and then ask the horse to jump. When he jumps, let go of the bridle so neither of you gets jerked around on accident and gets hurt. Then you can follow him out."

Miri did as he said, and they were soon walking through the forest, having left the horses to their devices by the stream without their bridles on. They knew the horses wouldn't go too far. They went in comfortable silence.

Suddenly he turned and kissed her. This time he wasn't gentle. He demanded entry, and Miri, too shocked (again) to respond at all, let his tongue into her mouth. To her surprise, it felt good. She tentatively kissed him back, pushing his tongue out in order to taste his lower lip. She refused from then on to involve his tongue or hers, deciding that for now that they weren't needed. She learned quickly and improvised quicker, surprising him. Finally, when he felt his control beginning to slip, he pulled away. She was out of breath, but he wasn't even breathing hard. He smiled lazily. "That was much better."

"More histrionic this time?"

"You use the most unusual words," he said, eyes twinkling.

"I'm a scholarship student, remember?" she said, slightly upset that she had to remind him.

"No, I didn't remember," he said quietly.

Angry, she said, "You know what ticks me off?" He shook his head warily. "It's that you actually meant that as a compliment."

He quickly realized two things: One, that he had meant it as a compliment, and two, that she would not quickly forgive him for it.

"Miri-"

"Forget it."

"I didn't mean it that way."

She turned and faced him. Her face was an unattractive shade of red. "Yes, you did. You think the same things they all do: She's a stupid commoner, she's not worthy, she's lucky to be here, those are the nice things they say about me, and yeah, so you think I'm worthy of being a noble, so what? You'd make a pretty sucky commoner yourself." She marched away, head held high. Just before she was out of sight, she turned and called, "You never changed, Legolas! You're still a snot after all!"

It was a low blow, and it stung. He retrieved the horses quietly and walked instead of riding back to the campus, wanting to be alone with his thoughts.


End file.
